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The ancient sacred Andean custom of gifting to the Pachamama (mother earth), and to the Apu (spirits of the mountains). Gifts of seeds, nuts, herbs, cookies, incense, and "kintu's" - coca leaves (the Divine plant of the Incas) are arranged and then infused with prayers and sacred breath offered to the four directions, the Sky, Earth, and the Divine Within. After completion of the offering the package is used to cleanse energies from the participants body and energy field by absorbing the heavy energy into the package (similar to the Native American tradition of smudging). The package then transmutes the energy by releasing it ritually via ceremonially burning or burying the package within the mother earth.




Our friend and contributing author, Stephanie Phelps, illuminates the tradition further - "the despacho is a gift--a giving back of what we receive everyday in our lives to establish new patterns of relationship and possibility. It establishes a link between the physical universe, our personal power, our source of love and wisdom. The despacho, transcends literal and symbolic domains and directly accesses the archetypal and energetic realms.

The despacho is created much like a Mandala and layered with a variety of items all having symbolic significance. We call upon the spirits of the waters, of the mountains, and of the Pachamama (Mother Earth) to come and help us prepare the offering. We have the intent of seeking to establish and maintain a continuous dialogue with the Mother and to bring balance and harmony to our lives, and to all our relations. Each symbolic item offered is arranged on white paper and is imbued with prayer. The power of this act of love sparks the momentum for energy shifts and healing and is a reminder of the connections we share with all beings, elements, spirits, and the cosmos. Upon the completion of the despacho, the gift is bundled up, tied and then placed into a fire. The creation and the construction of the despacho and ceremony takes about an hour to perform.

The Despacho ceremony brings participants into alignment with their personal intent, or the group intent, with gratitude to the earth, which supports us in all our endeavors. There are actually hundreds of different despachos. Ayni despacho is a way of establishing reciprocity and divine exchange, right relationship, balance and harmony with the Universe. If you give you will receive and if you receive you must give back. It is an honoring of the cycle of abundance and gratitude. The Anyi despacho is for specific purposes such as creating harmony, good will, love, marriage, etc. This is an excellent way to promote abundance in a business endeavor or increase co-operation on projects. The beginning of a year is an excellent time to do an ayni despacho. Aya despacho or the death despacho is performed to break connections or to gracefully transition from one situation to another. It is used after divorce, ending of a relationship, ending of a job or career, loss of a loved one, etc. The ending of the year is an excellent time to do an aya despacho."

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